


restricted access

by enygmashow



Category: The Yogscast
Genre: Yoglabs Setting, Yoglabs Zine, key word attempts, strife attempts corporate espionage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23207143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enygmashow/pseuds/enygmashow
Summary: Strife gets a tour of Yoglabs, and a chance to figure out what Xephos is hiding.
Kudos: 14





	restricted access

**Author's Note:**

> my piece for the free yoglabs zine! check it out here!  
> https://gumroad.com/l/qFfGq

“So. This is what you’ve been up to.”

The two spacemen stand side by side in front of the grand vault doors that lead into the facility, sun glaring off of metallic finish, completely alien to the nature surrounding it. It’s mark is made in the side of the mountain, waste pouring out of an unfortunately noticeable pipe in the background. It’s a lot; Gaudy, obnoxious, grand, and compensating for god knows what. 

… Naturally, Strife is impressed. Though he hates admitting that. So he won't. He doesn’t need to look at Xephos to know exactly what he’s feeling. Pride and ego are painfully obvious, almost taunting him. Daring him to one-up what he’s achieved when Strife hasn’t even gone inside yet. 

Of course, he will absolutely out-do this. He glances over at Xephos, and recognizes him and everything he represents as a challenge to overcome. He _could_ consider him a rival, but that implies he has any sort of respect for him. Which he doesn’t. What so ever. (Respecting his taste in aesthetics does _not_ count.)

“It's stunning, isn't it?” Xephos begins. “The amount of hours, days, _months_ that I’ve spent making Yoglabs into what it is today is almost absurd. But it’s _worth it._ ”

“And you’ve planned this all on your own?” Strife asks warily. There’s a pause in response, Xeph’s grin falling ever so slightly as he has to think on the response. Absolutely helping with his credibility here. 

He watches as Xephos looks back towards the doors almost fondly. “Besides the extra few sets of hands needed to build it? I _basically_ designed the facility myself.” 

_Doubt. So. Much. Doubt_. He doesn’t get the chance to voice his lack of trust in Xephos’ words, the man turning on his heel and walking backwards towards the entrance, arms behind his back, grin unmoving. “Well! We can stand around and chat all day, but I really want to show off what we have inside. Shall we?”

“Lead the way.” He states, as if turning back was ever an option. 

* * *

It’s almost blindingly white on the inside. Of course, there’s the colored lines on the floor that offer at least _some_ contrast, but it's still an obnoxious sight. There’s a process Xephos is talking through, but words just seem to grow muffled and distant with _something_ in the air. He’s going on and on, hands him a security badge, talks about this, and that, and _blah blah blah._

_What’s going on?_ Why does this feel like some sort of liminal space? All he did was walk into the building. Right? 

He blinks rapidly when Xeph’s voice becomes clear all of a sudden. They’re somewhere else now, standing in front of a wall of portraits displaying every staff member. Or, well, it _should_ display everyone. There’s obvious blank spaces, with portraits empty and name plates removed, a good handful of people that are just. Gone. 

The most concerning space is the empty spot, on the right side of Xephos’ portrait. Honeydew’s is to his left, and… **_“Executive?”_ ** Strife blurts out, grinning in disbelief. “You put him in an _executive position_? That’s absolutely ridiculous, why would you--” 

**“Don’t talk down about him like that** .” Xephos snaps, cold. “He’s an extremely valuable member of our team, and possibly one of the only people here I _trust._ ” Oh. “Besides, on the manner of questionable staff? You really have no room to talk, Will.” _Oh._ He shuts up quickly with that, avoiding eye contact with him and instead opting to stare at an extremely interesting spot on the wall. 

“...Hm.” A bad move, of course. He doesn’t want to risk much else. Just getting here on his own is pure _luck._ He doesn’t want to get kicked out. Not before he’s seen exactly what Xeph’s hiding. He’s wasting time. “Well. The tour?” 

The cold look on the other spaceman’s face instantly snaps back to a grin as he claps his hands together, tone light once again. “Right, of course! Best to stay on schedule with you around.” Ugh. “Follow me now, try to keep up!” 

He’s not going to do that. The effort to keep up with the other’s pace is too much, and he wouldn’t be able to see much at all that way. The only places they stopped were locations he _wanted_ Strife to see, especially considering they almost spent a half hour in the armory thanks to their bickering over the best tools for the job. But even then, there’s so much he couldn’t see. 

Colored lines direct passage into walls with light underneath, tempting with the secrets illuminated on the other side. The halls seemed so _empty_ despite how many people are-- _were_ working here. Something is missing, something is _always_ missing. And even then, there’s stuff he shouldn’t see that earns him the same response: 

He’s told not to worry about the pale man watching them from the rafters, red eyes staring through Strife as they pass. He’s told not to worry about the reflection they pass in the lobby that isn’t a reflection at all, rather a ghost image of their tour thanks to some minor bugs. He’s told not to worry about the doors that lead to nothing but a void that stares back, provoking a migraine in the process. He’s told not to worry about the clown. _Why is there a clown, Xephos?_

It all earns the same, automated response, and he’s sick of it. So, he leaves. He waits until Xephos is wrapped up in some stupid story about how the government is totally, legitimately funding his research facility, and he leaves. Rushing towards areas where he couldn’t reach, looking for something he could use to absolutely crush this project and--

He didn’t expect to see this. Walls of cloning vats in a chilled chamber, the faces of those he’s familiar with all looking back at him beyond a sheet of ice. Everyone on the server has to be here. _And then some._ What is the point of this? Why-- why this? Of all things, why make _clones, how did he make_ **_clones_ ** _\--_

A hand, firm on his shoulder, pulls him out of that mindset. The room was cold enough as is, with every vat having a layer of frost over the glass, but something about Xephos made his heart stop. In that moment alone, he doesn’t recognize Xephos as the man he knew. This is something else entirely.

Xephos is fully aware as to what he’s becoming. That is also just as clear, icy blue eyes staring through him as he towers over the CEO. The silence could last eons, but he misses it the moment Xephos opens his mouth.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you run off?” He starts, an almost too patient smile growing on his face. **“You’ve fucked up, Strife.”** He’ll never admit it for the life of him, but the final sight of Xephos in _his_ element, looking down at him like he was nothing, gave Strife more than enough to worry about.


End file.
